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THE TANGLED BOY |
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The Tangled Boy is an outstanding debut into the mystery genre for Caro Soles. How it will be categorized (suspense, gay noir, etc.) is a conundrum I will leave to the publishers or whoever it is that establishes that sort of thing. The Tangled Boy is unlike any mystery I have read in that the reader is not given access to those investigating the murder. Instead the reader journeys through an adolescent's acknowledgement and acceptance of his homosexuality. Note: book contains gay sex and/or gay relationships. The victim is Jordan King, who is notorious in the small, conservative town of Fairleigh Heights (near Toronto) for his 'gay parties and behavior'. Cory Williams was at the party the night Jordan was killed. But he was supposed to be grounded and he doesn't want his parents to know. He is gay but doesn't want his classmates to know. Cory feels he has no one to talk to. He begins to receive threatening messages. There is no one he can tell. His terror grows, but who can he trust?Ms. Soles makes this work beautifully! You feel the angst and shame Cory is experiencing, and his anger beginning to grow at the unacceptance in Fairleigh Heights. As Cory grows in himself and his relationships, you see progress toward solving the crime. A very well-woven mystery that will intrigue you long after finishing the last page! |
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